The Choice
by snoopy-pie
Summary: Harry Potter has chosen his fate whatever that may be. Will Love be able to save him from death? He finds out that it is all up to his choice to love completely. :   This is a H/Hr fanfiction so don't expect anything less. Enjoy!


He felt his heart constrict painfully; his chest squeezed like a vise until he couldn't breathe. He wanted it to be over. One swift stroke of Voldemort's wand and he would be just another victim in a long line of murders but Voldemort had others plans for the demise of Harry Potter. He quaked in the agony of what the aftermath of his death would mean to his friends…to Hermione. His body shook and trembled as Voldemort twisted His poor mangled body into another bout of throbbing pain. Pain that Harry didn't know existed. Was this how it felt to die? Voldemort's sardonic laugh seemed to fill his mind with humiliation and shame. His stomach churned with bile and his throat burned but from what he couldn't tell anymore. He hurt until his thoughts were shattered and broken like crystal shards. He could no longer distinguish what was happening to him. His green eyes dulled and his body gave a shudder as he thought of her soft brown hair. His last moments on earth would not be about death but life…and as much as it tore at his soul…he thought about love. Tears formed beneath his eyelids. Streaming down his face and Voldemort gave a bellow of laughter. His victory would be complete. The cold winter wind hammered his weakened body until Harry's thoughts mocked his own inability to care…to believe…It is too late his mind taunted…too late to love her… And oh how he loved her. A large gleam of light completely passed through him and he felt something tainted leave his soul to hover somewhere above him. Harry Potter passed out unconscious and unaware of anything that was happening to him. He was moving toward something soft and gentle. A voice was calling out to him through the darkness. He couldn't see but he could feel love and it was wonderful, as if he was being swallowed up into a bright light. He allowed his mind to wander through the many moments of his life…He saw his mother holding his small baby body close to hers as if in protection…Dudley chasing him through the Dursley's back garden…Aunt Petunia…Vernon…All of them passing through his mind like shadows on a wall. They were barely there at all.

Then Hagrid came into his mind and he saw Diagon Alley. His first experience with the wizarding world. The Weasleys filtered into his mind like sand. He couldn't hold onto them. His first real love for family was through them. Ron…Ginny…The Marauder's Map opening before him only instead of Hogwarts it was his life. Sirius…dead. Lupin…the last of the Marauders also dead. Fred…gone and Tonks. All this and more was his fault and the misery seemed to engulf him. Suddenly an image materialized before him…Hermione. Her brown eyes gently probing, reaching, searching for the answer that he knew he must give. _Would you give yourself for them? For her? _He reached out to her but she faded away like a mist.

"Yes…I would." He whispered weakly, "I love her…I…I love them all." He wasn't sure anyone could hear him. He wasn't sure he was here at all anymore. There was no more pain. He had to be dead.

He was so cold and his body began lifting up into the air to hover above the ground like some distorted puppet. A soft glow surrounded him and the effect was eerily unnatural.

Voldemort's smile faded.

"Is this all Dumbledore has taught you? It is a mere parlor trick!" He shouted to the remaining death eaters who had gathered to watch. This was most unexpected and a few sensing something wrong began to back away. Voldemort, anxious now to end it pointed his long wand toward Harry and a green shaft of light shot out of the tip and hit its mark with enough force to knock him into a tree with a loud thud and both he and his killer fell to the earth in a heap.

Ten minutes, an hour, a day, an eternity had passed. He didn't know how long he had lain there. He supposed it didn't matter now.

_I have to be dead_. He wandered to himself, but he wasn't. He could feel the cold earth beneath him. Hear the screeches of owls somewhere deep within the forest and he took a deep breath. Felt the air filling his lungs. He could breathe. He heard gasps and a few moans and opened his eyes to see a canopy of trees above him with only a few stars visible through their branches. His head spun. He was alive!

"Impossible!" Bellatrix Lestrange shouted from beside her fallen Dark Lord. She was on her knees crouched over Voldemort pathetically. Harry swallowed and readied himself for another assault of pain. He had no wand. He would not be able to defend against anyone.

"This cannot be!" She stood up to her full height raised her wand but before the curse could leave her mind she saw that same strange glow surround Harry Potter and she paused to look once more at Voldemort, Lying dead and broken on the ground. She dropped her wand to stare at Harry Potter.

Harry felt something within him slowly fade away and he realized it wasn't him that had killed Voldemort. His love for his friends and for Hermione had forced that last little piece of Voldemort from his body. A horcrux he was no more and that last killing curse that Voldemort sent his way hit his own soul piece; destroying them both. Harry winced painfully as he stood up. The others had run away into the night. The only one remaining was Bellatrix and they both dropped their gaze to stare at the crumpled old man lying on the ground and then to his wand where it had fallen.

"The Elder Wand." Harry whispered faintly, and reached down to gingerly pick up the thin piece of wood. He held it in his hand sternly and he felt amazing power. It had been Dumbledore's wand, and now it was Harry's wand. Bellatrix began to whimper.

"You could be greater you know." She eyed Harry wild eyed and backed away slightly as if half afraid half appreciative. Her eyes shifted down to where Voldemort lay and then fixed her eyes upon Harry. "Much more powerful than he could have ever imagined."

He didn't move. He couldn't think properly. Everything that had happened seemed to mesh together in his mind. It was over and he had won. He looked up into the harried eyes of the woman before him and he smiled. She had killed Sirius and without another word he pointed the wand at her. Her pale smile faded but she stood defiantly. The spell flew out of his wand like rope to entwine around her entire body. She cackled hysterically then and spat at him, laughing at his weakness.

"You should have killed me Harry!" She sang, but it was to no use. He pointed the wand at her one last time and she fell unconscious. Harry sank to the ground exhausted. The pain he endured had weakened him. He didn't have the strength to move anymore. He wished to see her pretty face, feel her eyes upon him and hear her sweet voice. All this time and he never realized it. He felt like a fool.

He tried to stand without hurting himself too much and whispered, "Levicorpus." Bella's limp body floated weirdly in front of him as he tried to make his way over brush and bramble of the forest. Each step was like agony but because it brought him closer to safety, closer to home he persisted. He imagined what they would say. He no longer wanted a hero's welcome like he used to dream of. That part of him was gone now. He only wanted to live. It was very late now. Surely the deadline Voldemort issued had passed several hours ago. Were they looking for him? Were they expecting some sort of battle ahead? He smiled a little. His friends were safe. They wouldn't have to follow him into harm's way any longer. He came to the edge of the forest and saw the castle sitting magnificently in the moonlight. Home, Hermione, Ron and of course Ginny were waiting for him.

He would have a lot to explain he thought sadly to himself but somehow it seemed okay. He stood for a long time looking at the devastation of the grounds. The bodies had all been moved but that could not hide their blood from seeping into the thirsty ground. He saw movement up ahead and fought the urge to hide. The person was coming from the direction of the lake and slowly they came into focus. Her brown hair was wild and her brown eyes frantic with worry. It was Hermione. She stopped short when she saw Bella's body floating strangely in front of him and he heard her gasp.

"Oh…Harry!" The tears streamed down her face that was grimy and dirty. Her robes were in complete disarray and her feet were muddy and wet as if she had been walking in filth. She was the most beautiful site he had ever imagined. His eyes couldn't get enough of her. He wanted to touch her. Hold her and never again lose sight of her. He understood now. He had loved her all along. Bella floated down to the ground in a heap and Harry dropped the elder wand. Hermione's breath hitched when he reached for her and for once he didn't think of what was right or wrong. All he knew was he almost died and he found that she was the most important person in his life. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. She sighed contentedly and he thought that was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

Her body was soft and sweet and he felt his legs give way when she gently touched his face with her fingertips. They sank to the ground and held one another soothing and comforting each other. The ache inside of him soon began to ease away and he loved holding her like this. She cried onto his shoulder and he wept into her hair; anointing each other with their tears.

"I…I couldn't find you." Her voice was muffled against his chest and he entangled his hands within her hair. She looked up into his green eyes and his world stopped. "I…I thought you had…"

"It's okay Hermione…It's all over." He looked down into her stained face and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. The moon bathed them in shimmering light and he lowered his lips down to hers. There was no need to wait he thought. So much time had been wasted already. She held her breath and her lips parted slightly with anticipation. He kissed her gently and tenderly. He cautiously held her closer against him and she sighed softly. He wearily released her and both of them began walking hand in hand back up to the castle. Bella Lestrange hexed one more time and left out on the front steps of Hogwarts. So much would have to be done and explained. As they opened the heavy wooden doors Harry looked into her eyes and smiled. She nodded and held tightly onto his arm. It was then that they both realized it was only the beginning.

The End :P


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